Japan votes in test for new PM, political stability

Japanese voters went to the polls to decide whether to endorse the conservative government of Fumio Kishida or weaken the new prime minister and possibly return the world’s third-largest economy to a period of political uncertainty.

The vote is a test for Kishida, who called the election soon after taking the top post early this month, and for his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has been battered by its perceived mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic.

He struggled to advance policies to help poor people, while securing a big boost in military spending and taking a harder line on China.

The LDP is on the brink of losing its sole majority in the lower house of parliament for the first time since 2009, opinion polls show, although its coalition with junior partner Komeito is forecast to remain in control.

Japan’s vaccination drive initially lagged other advanced nations. More than 70% of the population is now fully vaccinated and infections have dropped sharply, but some voters remain wary.

Naoki Okura, a doctor, after voting in Tokyo, “It’s hard to say the pandemic is completely snuffed out and society is stable, so we shouldn’t have any big changes in coronavirus policy.

“Rather than demanding a change in government, I think we should demand continuity.”

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Kamila/Reuters